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'American Horror Story' fans spend night in asylum

By Derrik J. Lang, Associated Press

Updated:
10/08/2013 01:22:07 PM EDT

A general view of the exterior of Linda Vista Hospital is seen during the "American Horror Story: Asylum" sleepover, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP) (Paul A. Hebert/Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP)

Cody Kaplan isn't sure what's going to happen next.

After being covered by a blindfold, the "American Horror Story" devotee and his friend were led by a couple of surly men dressed as orderlies down a dimly lit hallway of a long-abandon hospital and into a dark room with walls covered in layers of graffiti. Kaplan is mentally prepared — more like giddy, really — to be locked away inside the medical facility until the sun comes up.

"I'm not afraid of the challenges but of the actual paranormal stuff that happens in this hospital," said Kaplan, who was among dozens of winners from an online contest. The fans were "admitted" Monday night to the Linda Vista Community Hospital near downtown Los Angeles for an exclusive "sleepover" promoting the release of FX's "American Horror Story: Asylum" on Blu-ray and DVD.

After screening the first episode from the upcoming witchy third season in the hospital's chapel, the "patients" were sequestered in different areas of the historic — and some say haunted — facility, which opened in 1901 and closed in 1991. (The Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana, Calif., actually doubles as the Briarcliff Manor asylum from the scary series.)

The fans were then tasked with solving several freak-out trials throughout the night in order to "escape" to the six-story complex, which has been used as a filming location for movies like "Pearl Harbor" and "Insidious: Chapter 2." The one-time-only event, which also featured appearances by "Asylum" actresses Naomi Grossman and Barbara Tarbuck, was organized by Fox Home Entertainment.

"I'm afraid to go downstairs to the boiler room," said Tarbuck, who played Mother Superior Claudia in the second season, at the beginning of the night. "Everybody says that's pretty scary, but I do want to go. Maybe I've been affected by the show."